Carton for easy open bottles



Oct. 24, 1967 w. M. BROWN 3,348,672

CARTON FOR EASY OPEN BOTTLES Filed March 5, 1965 LUILLIAM M. BRowM ML 3 Am United States Patent .0

3,348,672 CARTON FOR EASY OPEN BOTTLES William M. Brown, Darien, Conn., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 437,447 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure has to do with a carton of the wraparound type which is particularly adapted for receiving containers having crown cap closures. The crown cap closures in this particular instance have flaps to facilitate the manual removal thereof without the use of an opener. The wrap-around carton is modified to receive such closures.

This invention relates to a paperboard wrap around carton of the type adapted to be folded, perforated and severed for securing a group of articles, such as containers, to form an open-ended merchandising package or the like and more particularly to a wrapper carton of the foregoing type which provides a secure and sturdy carton for retaining a group of containers each bearing a crown cap with an extending flap.

The popularity of the easy open container has required certain departures in the packaging of containers bearing the easy open feature from the packaging of containers of the past. For example, the substitution of a crown cap having a flap (an easy open container) for a regular crown cap requires a carton or carrier of a different geometrical configuration due to the difference in the configuration of the crown cap from the crown cap with flap. The crown cap with flap bears a projection, known as the flap, which extends from and is a portion of the cap itself. By exerting a force upward against the flap, assuming that the container bearing the cap is substantially vertical, sufficient force may be generated so as to separate the cap from the container. Since the crown cap has the extending flap which permits the easy opening of the container, consideration must be given to the carton to house and support containers of this type. The employment of conventional cartons is not successful due to the new configuration of the crown cap. Further, the carton must provide a secure arrangement so that the containers are snugly positioned against one another and the sides of the carton so as to facilitate the transportation and storage of the cartons without damage. In addition, if the packaging of the containers is to be truly successful, then means must also be provided for efficiently and rapidly removing the enclosing carton so as to expose and provide an access to the containers in the carton.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to improve cartons for retaining a group of containers each of which bears a crown cap having an extending flap.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide a carton for retaininga group of containers each of which bears a crown cap having an extending flap wherein the carton is provided with an aperture which permits the flap to extend therethrough.

It is a further object of the presentinvention to provide a carton for retaining a group of containers each of which bears a crown cap having an extending flap wherein the carton is provided with an aperture whose sides engage portions of the cap in an urging relationship to thereby retain each pair of containers in a secure position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carton for retaining a group of containers each of which bears a crown cap having an extending flap wherein the carton is provided with an aperture which permits the flap to extend therethrough as Well as to engage portions of the cap in an urging relationship for retaining each pair of containers in a secure position.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a carton for retaining a group of containers in a secure position, each container bearing a crown cap having an extending flap, and wherein portions of the carton may be efliciently and rapidly removed to thereby expose the upper surface of the containers.

The foregoing objects and other features of the invention are accomplished by providing a carton blank which is punched, severed and folded in the hereinafter described manner. The upper surface of the carton is subdivided into substantially three large panels: a first panel which is substantially flat and supported by portions of the crown cap; a second panel secured to one edge of the first panel and sloping downwardly to meet a vertical side wall; and, a third panel substantially identical to the second panel but joined to the opposite edge of the first panel and sloping downwardly to the other vertical side wall. The second and third panels are provided with doorknob or mushroom-shaped apertures and which includes a substantially rectangular portion in the aperture which is formed partially from the first panel and of a length equal to the diameter of a crown cap. The wrap-around action of the carton positions the extending flap within the doorknob or mushroom-shaped aperture while the sides of the aperture form a locking engagement with the crown caps.

As the un-cartoned containers are advanced in pairs or side-by-side relationship, the flat blank is positioned over a group of the containers, for example, six in number, with the first panel being partially supported by the crown caps. The flat carton blank is then caused to be wrapped around the group of containers so that the flaps of the caps advance through the doorknob ormushroom-shaped apertures with a snapping action. The wrapping feature of the carton is continued until projecting tabs at the bottom engage matching apertures so as to lock the carton about the group of containers. In addition, means are employed through a series of severed points for efficiently and rapidly tearing the carton so as to expose the containers to facilitate their subsequent removal from the carton.

The invention both as to its organization and method of operation together with further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view and illustrating the carton in its wrap-around configuration and retaining a group of containers bearing crown caps with a flap;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a portion of the perspective view of the FIGURE 1 and showing the relationship of the flaps of the crown caps to the apertures in the carton;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of the FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of the FIGURE 3;

FIGURE is a plan view of a blank before it is formed into the carton of the FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of the doorknob or mushroom-shaped opening or aperture.

The wrap-around carton of the FIGURE 1 will be described first with reference to the blank of the FIG- URE 5. A first bottom panel 10 is substantially rectangular and has projecting therefrom a plurality of locking tabs 12 which tabs, when the blank of the FIGURE 5 is assembled into the carton of the FIGURE 1, mate with and are inserted into apertures in a second bottom panel, to be hereinafter described. The locking tabs 12 are joined to the first bottom panel 10 along a weakening line or fold line 14 which is periodically interrupted by a plurality of severed lines 16 which are slightly offset from the fold line 14 so as to form small secondary locking tabs when the blank is assembled into a carton. The severed lines 16 are in alignment with a plurality of projections 18 having serrations thereon.

The first bottom panel 10 is connected to a side panel 20 through an intermediate panel 22. The intermediate panel 22 is joined to the first bottom panel 10 by a fold line 24 and the side panel 20 by a fold line 26, the fold lines 24 and 26 being periodically interrupted by a plurality of crescent-shaped apertures 28. The apertures 28 are not true crescents in that a small projection or indention 32 extends into each of the apertures 28. The apertures 28 are equal in number and in alignment with the locking tabs 12. In the carton configuration, to be hereinafter described, the apertures 28 receive a portion of the chime of the containers supported therein and serve to position, in a rigid manner, the upright containers assembled in a carton from the blank of the FIGURE 5. A severed line 30 extends transversely from each of the apertures 28 through the projections 32, past an extension of the fold line 26 and slightly into the side panel 20. In the carton configuration referred to, the intermediate panel 22 joins the first bottom panel 10 and the side panel 20 at an angle while the severed lines 30 permit a slight bulging of the carton due to the position of the containers therein.

The side panel 20 is joined along a fold line 34 to a top panel 36 which comprises three sections identified as a first section 38, a second section 40 and a third section 42. The first section 38 is joined to the second section 40 along a fold line 44 While the second section 40 is joined to the third section 42 along a fold line 46. Identification panels 48 and 48' are joined by fold lines 58 and 58' to the outer edges of the second section 40 and by triangular section along fold lines 60, 62 and 60, 62' to the first section 38 and third section 42, respectively. A plurality of apertures 50 are formed in two substantially parallel rows in the first panel 38 and the third panel 42. The apertures 50 may be described as mushroom shaped, doorknob shaped, or as a rectangle 52 joined to an oval cap 54 which is the manner in which the lowermost aperture 50 in the third section 42 and middle aperture 50 in the first section 38 are identified. The distance 56, identified in the FIGURE 5, which is the maximum measurement between the oval caps 54 of longitudinally adjacent ones of the apertures 50, is slightly less than the distance between the flaps of the crown caps supported by adjacent containers of the FIGURE 1. Later reference to this feature will be made during the reference to the FIGURES 1 and 2. By this arrangement, as the containers of the FIGURE 1 are assembled into the blank of the FIG- URE 5, the flaps pass through the apertures 50 in a snapping manner so as to ride over the oval cap 54 and thereby provide an additional means to prevent the container from disengaging the carton of the FIGURE 1.

In the FIGURE 5, the identification panel 48 is joined to the second section 40, along a fold line 58, to the first section 38 by an angular fold line 60 and to the third section 42, along a fold line 62. The identification panel 48' is joined in a similar manner to the sections 38, 40 and 42 by fold lines 60, 58, and 62'.

In the FIGURE 5, means are provided for separating portions of the first section 38 and the second section 40 from their remaining sections by a plurality of small severed lines 64 which extend from an aperture 66, which is positioned along a fold line 68 and joins a second side panel 70 to the first section 38. The general direction of the severed lines 64 is toward the fold line 62. In addition, a second series of small severed lines 72 extend from the aperture 66 in a general pattern toward the fold line 62. The general outline formed by the small severed lines 64 and the small severed lines 72 forms a V having its apex generally in the area of the aperture 66. If the blank is grasped through the aperture 66 and urged generally upward, the blank will sever along the lines 64 and 72.

A second intermediate panel 22' joins the side panel 70 to a second bottom panel 74 and since the second intermediate panel 22' is substantially identical to the intermediate panel 22 it will not be described in detail.

At spaced intervals along the second bottom panel 74 of the FIGURE 5 are positioned a plurality of apertures 76 equal in number to the locking tabs 12. A severed line 78 is formed along one edge of each of the apertures 76 and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the blank. The severed lines 78 permitthe easy insertion of the projections 18 of the locking tabs 12 and the projections formed along the severed lines 16.

In the FIGURE 1, the blank of the FIGURE 5 has been assembled into a carton and is illustrated in its wrap-around configuration about a plurality of containers 80, which are shown as six in number. Each of the containers 80 bears a crown cap 82 with an extending flap '84. The side panels 20 and 70 are substantially parallel to each other and the bottom panels 10 and 74 are substantially parallel to the second section 40 of the top panel 36. The first section 38 of the top panel 36 is at an angle and joins the side panel 70 and the second section 40. The third section 42 is similarly disposed. The crown caps 82 with their extending flaps 84 extend through their respective apertures 50. Also, the crown cap 82 is snug against the rectangular section 52 which was the nomenclature adopted for two of the apertures '50 of the FIGURE 5. All of the six apertures 50 shown, are substantially identical and the aperture 50 may again be stated as comprising a rectangular section 52 and an oval cap 54. It will be noted that the bottom edges or chimes of the containers 80 fit into their respective apertures 28 of the intermediate panels 22 and 22' so that the carton bulges slightly, such as that shown at 86. Due to the cooperative features of the carton of the FIGURE 1, the containers 80 are snugly positioned within the carton and maintain their relationship until physically removed. If one or more of the containers 80 are removed, the remaining containers will be restrained within the carton since the flap 84, which extends over the oval cap 54 of the aperture 50 would engage the oval cap 54 and thereby prevent the accidental removal of a container 80.

If the first section 38 is grasped in the area immediately above the aperture 66 and urged upwardly, the carton will sever along the lines 64 and 72 and thereby expose the contents of the carton. In this manner, the containers 80 may be readily removed from the carton.

Means are provided in the second section 40 for grasping a wrap-around carton through the provision of the apertures 88 and 90. The apertures 88 and 90 are only partially severed about their circumference so that a bifurcated flap 92 and 92 is formed in the aperture 88 and a second bifurcated flap '94 and 94 is formed in the aperture 90'.

The manner in which the crown cap flaps 84 extend beyond the apertures 50 is succinctly illustrated in the FIGURE 2. This illustration clearly shows that the dis- '5 tance 57 exceeds the distance 56 so if the containers 80 move downwardly (into the plane of the paper), then the flap 84 would engage its respective first section 38 or third section 42 in the area of the aperture 50:

The FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of the FIGURE 1 and further illustrates the extension of the flaps 84 beyond the plane of their respective first section 38 or third section 42. Further, the FIG- URE 3 illustrates the manner in which the second section 40 rests upon portions of the top of each crown cap 82 and then angles downwardly to form the first section 38 and the third section 42..

The FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of the FIGURE 3 and is substantially a longitudinal elevational view of the carton with the containers 80 removed.

The embodiment of the FIGURE 6 shows a variation of the position of an aperture similar to the apertures 50 of the foregoing figures. In the foregoing figures, it will be noted that the aperture 50 is formed from material positioned within either of the sections 38 and 42 and a small amount of material from the second section 40. In the embodiment of the FIGURE 6, the aperture 96 is substantially identical to the apertures 50 except that it is formed entirely from material in either the first section 38 or the third section 42. In other words, the base of the aperture 96 extends to the fold line 44' and does not cross over the fold line as does the aperture 50 of the other figures.

There has been described, a wrap-around carton for retaining a group of containers bearing crown caps with flaps. The upper panel of the carton is composed of three sections: a middle and substantially horizontal section which is joined along two of its elges by angular sections of the top panel, referred to in the specification as the first and third sections. The configuration set forth serves to rigidly retain the containers in the carton. As shown by the blank in the FIGURE 5, the distance 56, which is the distance from the outside extremities of adjacent ones of the apertures 50, is less than the distance 57 of the FIGURE 1, which is the distance between the tips of the flaps on adjacent containers. In this manner, the carton is assembled over the containers with a snapping action as the flaps advance through the apertures. This is possible, of course, due to the resiliency of the paperboard carton. A comparison of the distances 56 and 57 may be easily ascertained from the plan view of the FIGURE 2.

In addition, it will be noted that the rectangular section of each of the apertures is of a dimension so as to fit over and along the sides of each of the crown caps so as to retain the cap bearing containers in the carton. Further, means are provided for removing a portion of the top panels so as to expose the containers and thereby remove the containers, as desired.

Thus, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and the essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank for a carrier comprising a first panel having locking tabs extending therefrom, a second panel having tab receiving apertures formed therein, and an intermediate panel joining said first panel and said second panel at fold lines, said intermediate panel being formed of first, second and third sections joined at fold lines, said second section joining said first and third sections, and a row of apertures formed in each of said first and third sections, an aperture of said first section and said third section forming a pair and being arranged in an opposing relationship, each of said apertures exhibiting an outline formed of a rectangle having an oval cap whose dimension exceeds the longitudinal dimension of said rectangle so that said rectangle and said oval cap are joined by lines converging toward said rectangle.

2. The blank as defined in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal dimension of said rectangle of said aperture is substantially equal to the diameter of a crown cap.

3. A carrier for supporting containers bearing crown caps with flap and disposed in a pair of parallel rows comprising a top panel having first, second and third sections joined along fold lines, apair of side panels joined to said first and third sections and a bottom panel joining said side panels, said second section being sub stantially perpendicular to said side panels, said first and third sections joining their respective side Panels at an angle, and a plurality of apertures formed in said first and third sections and arranged in substantially opposing parallel rows, each of Said apertures being in the shape of a doorknob to permit a flap to extend therethrough and having a broad base dimensioned to snugly receive the crown cap.

4. A carrier for supporting containers bearing crown caps with flap and disposed in a pair of parallel rows comprising a top panel having first, second and third sections joined along fold lines, a pair of 'side panels joined to said first and third sections and a bottom panel joining said side panels, said second section being substantially perpendicular to said side panels, said first and third sections joining their respective side panels at an angle, and a row of apertures formed in each of said first and third sections, an aperture of said first section and said second section forming a pair and being arranged in an opposing relationship, each of said apertures exhibiting an outline formed of a rectangle for engaging the periphery of a crown cap and an oval cap for permitting a flap to extend therethrough.

5. The carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein the unfolded distance from corresponding oval caps of a pair is less than the maximum distance between flap tips of adjacent containers.

6. The carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein the dimension of said oval cap exceeds the longitudinal dimension of said rectangle so that the outline between said rectangle and caps is of lines converging toward the rectangle.

7. The carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein the unfolded distance from corresponding oval caps of a pair is less than the maximum distance between flap tips of adjacent containers, and the folded distance from corresponding oval caps of a pair is greater than the maximum distance between flap tips of adjacent containers whereby said first and second sections may be folded around containers.

8. A package comprising a group of containers bearing crown caps with a flap and arranged in two parallel rows with the flaps of each row extending outwardly in opposite directions, a wrap-around carrier for restraining said group of containers, said carrier comprising a top panel having first, second and third sections joined along fold lines, a pair of side panels joined to said first and third sections and a bottom panel joining said side panels, said second section being substantially perpendicular to said side panels, said first and third sections joining their respective side panels at an angle, and a plurality of apertures formed in said first and third sections and arranged in substantially opposing parallel rows, each of said apertures being in the shape of a doorknob having a broad base, a flap of each of said containers extending through and beyond a respective aperture, the crown cap being positioned within the broad base of the aperture.

9. The package as defined in claim 8 including a pair of converging score lines across said first and second sections to facilitate the severing of said sections at said score lines and thereby expose the containers prior to their removal from said carrier.

10. The package of claim 8 wherein the folded distance from corresponding oval caps of a pair is greater than the maximum distance between flap tips of adjacent con- 7 8 tainers whereby said first and second sections may be 3,128,010 4/ 1964 Forrer 220--112 folded around containers. 3,167,214 1/1965 Mahon 22951 3,207,303 9/ 1965 Breedveld 206-65 References Cited 3,270,914 9/1966 Graser 229-40 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,750,062 6/1956 SatZ 215-46 WILLIAM T. DlXSON, 111., Examiner. 

8. A PACKAGE COMPRISING A GROUP OF CONTAINERS BEARING CROWN CAPS WITH A FLAP AND ARRANGED IN TWO PARALLEL ROWS WITH THE FLAPS OF EACH ROW EXTENDING OUTWARDLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, A WRAP-AROUND CARRIER FOR RESTRAINING SAID GROUP OF CONTAINERS, SAID CARRIER COMPRISING A TOP PANEL HAVING FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD SECTIONS JOINED ALONG FOLD LINES, A PAIR OF SIDE PANELS JOINED TO SAID FIRST AND THIRD SECTIONS AND A BOTTOM PANEL JOINING SAID SIDE PANELS, SAID SECOND SECTION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SIDE PANELS, SAID FIRST AND THIRD SECTIONS JOINING THEIR 